Experts debate fate of Monmouth river dolphins as temperatures drop

Temperatures are plunging, but emotions are heating up over whether the last five dolphins who had taken up residence in two New Jersey rivers will be able to survive the winter.

Critics of the way federal wildlife officials have handled the case were planning to confront the agency overseeing their welfare during a forum tonight at Monmouth University.

AP file photoBoaters look on as dolphins swim in the Shrewsbury River in Sea Bright in a July 2008 file photo.

It was to be their first chance for face-to-face questioning of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials since 16 bottlenose dolphins appeared in the Shrewsbury and Navesink rivers last June.

Three dolphins have died so far, and only five of the original 16 remain in the Shrewsbury. It is unclear what happened to the other eight. NOAA officials say it is possible they left the river on their own and returned to the open sea, but they have no way to know for sure.

The agency says trying to move the remaining dolphins is risky and probably wouldn't work.

But critics fear a repeat of 1993, when four dolphins died in the river when ice closed in on them and they drowned.

"Unless NOAA takes immediate action, these dolphins, who may be more intelligent than human beings and certainly are every bit as emotional and family-oriented as we are, will slowly die as winter progresses," said Daphna Nachminovitch, vice president of People For The Ethical Treatment of Animals, in a statement released before the meeting. "Taxpayers expect federal agencies like NOAA not to stand by while these vulnerable dolphins suffer agonizing deaths."

Likewise, Joseph Kyrillos, Jennifer Beck and Sean Kean, all Republican state senators from Monmouth County, urged the agency to reverse course.

"NOAA has consistently maintained that any attempt to remove the dolphins from the rivers would be dangerous and possibly result in injury to the dolphins," they said in a statement. "Yet, it is becoming increasing apparent that taking no action whatsoever in light of the dolphins inability to adequately feed themselves will result in the death of the remaining animals.

The senators want NOAA to authorize an immediate rescue by one of the four marine mammal rescue organizations that have volunteered to rescue and rehabilitate them.

Last week, the NOAA said it expects that additional dolphins will either strand themselves or die as winter progresses. But it continues to feel the animals should not be netted or chased from the river, citing the risk involved.

In a web page set up to disseminate information about the dolphins, NOAA asked and answered several common questions, including, "Are these animals going to die this winter?"

The answer: "We certainly hope not, but expect some will die and it is possible that none of the animals will survive."

The next question: "Why won't you rescue these animals?"

"We do not believe we improve their prospects by doing so. What we can do is protect the ability of these wild animals to remain wild and use the very instincts and behaviors that also ensure the long-term health and survival of the larger population. They may fail, but that, too, is a common and important pattern in nature."